You don’t realize how much you rely on your plumbing until it breaks down. It’s common to have some plumbing issues as your home ages, whether it’s a dripping faucet here or a slow drain there. Some of these difficulties are simple enough to tackle on your own.

Others are potentially dangerous and should be left to the professionals. Knowing the most common plumbing issues and remedies will help you decide whether to reach for your tool belt and when to call a plumber.

Leaky faucets and pipes

In apartments and houses, leaking faucets and pipes are a common plumbing issue. Dripping faucets are more of an annoyance and a waste of money than a plumbing emergency, but they pile up quickly, and repairing leaks in your home might save you up to 10% on your water bill.

A single drip per second from a faucet wastes almost 3,000 gallons per year, or the equivalent of 180 showers. Plumbing leaks can waste over 1 trillion gallons of water per year in the United States. When a faucet is turned off, water physically drips out of it, making it simple to see a leaking faucet. Even if you aren’t in the room, you can generally hear the dripping.

How to Avoid Leaky Faucets and Pipes:

It’s often difficult to avoid natural wear from daily use. Leaking faucets are unavoidable over time. Turning faucets on and off carefully and avoiding undue pressure on the knobs will help to reduce wear.

Leaky pipes are tough to prevent, but regular inspections can help you catch them early. Look for minor drops or wetness. The presence of visible rusting or white lime deposits can indicate the possibility of leaking.

Clogged Toilets And Drains

When you empty a sink or take a shower, you’ll notice water backing up, which indicates a clogged drain. The indicators of a toilet clog are usually more obvious. The water backs up in the toilet bowl instead of flushing regularly, and it may even overflow. With a little DIY work or a visit from a plumber, clearing the blockage usually restores your drains or toilet to normal.

How To Avoid Clogged Toilets And Drains:

Only flush dissolvable waste materials down the toilet to avoid clogs. Keep an eye on your children to make sure they don’t flush toys or other large items down the toilet. If anything falls into the toilet, rather than trying to flush it, get it out.

Use a hair catcher over the drain in the shower to prevent loose strands from accumulating inside the drain pipe. To avoid this, keep stray hair strands away of sinks.

Low Water Pressure

Low water pressure is a common plumbing problem in older homes, but the problem can also occur in newer homes. Depending on the source, low water pressure can appear suddenly or gradually worsen over time.

Low water pressure, for whatever cause, makes it difficult to rinse dishes and shower, therefore fixing the problem is a top priority if you want to resume normal water usage.

How to Avoid Low Water Pressure:

To avoid future build-up, install a filter system to keep minerals out of your pipes. Pipes should be checked on a regular basis to detect and repair leaks as soon as possible.

Water Heater Problem

Problems with water heaters are usually easy to identify. You go to take a lovely warm shower, only to be sprayed with ice cold water. Other indicators of a problem include dripping water, puddles of water, discolored water, and noises emanating from the water heater unit.

Although you may be able to solve the problems yourself in some situations, many water heater problems and repairs require professional assistance because of their complexity and potential for hazard.

How to Avoid Water Heater Problem:

Maintaining your hot water heater ensures that it runs smoothly and efficiently, preventing complications. Regularly inspect the pressure valve. To remove sediment, flush the tank on a regular basis. Look around the tank from time to time for any drips or leaks that could suggest a larger issue.